Wizard
Base Class: Wizard

The mage strode forth, wrapped in a scarlet cloak, with blood glistening on her jagged dagger. She wove the wetted blade as if she was conducting an orchestra, and the fresh blood obediently rose up to dance around her form in a tempest of crimson fury. Her laughter was a shrill and eerie sound as she drew in the swirling strands of blood, causing them to crackle as they burned—and instantly, its converted power erupted from her palms in a rolling inferno.

When the smoke cleared, nothing was left before her but scorched earth, a scattering of ashes, and the acrid scent of iron. All was silent, except for the steady dripping of blood as it fell from her arm.

The dread secrets of Blood Arcana are as incredible as they are terrifying, allowing a wizard to access overwhelming power—if they're willing to pay the crimson price. As a practitioner of these grisly arts, you do not favor a traditional school of magic, and instead focus on the ability to augment spells through the perilous spilling of blood. One who dabbles in these taboo techniques is most commonly known as a blood mage.

The term Blood Arcana is the collective name of arcane practices used to convert life force into power, also known as the scarlet arts. Most societies fear blood mages and forbid their lurid studies, considering them both wicked and exceptionally dangerous, although a blood mage is not inherently evil. The mysteries of its power are typically learned away from prying eyes, whether gleaned from the lessons of a dubious master, from an ancient spellbook, or your own grim experiments.

Many people confuse Blood Arcana with necromancy, but the truth is that the two practices are opposites. Necromancers harness the power of death, whereas blood mages harness the power of life. A blood mage is similar to a cleric focused on healing, but employs their practices in reverse—whereas the cleric uses their magic to restore life, a blood mage does the unthinkable, and instead consumes life to empower their magic.

Crimson Exchange

At 2nd level, you have learned to boost your spells with the power of blood. 

When you cast a wizard spell with a spell slot, you can choose to take damage equal to double the level of spell slot you're using to cast the spell, and empower the spell with one of the three following effects (your choice):

  • If the spell has a more powerful effect when you cast it at a higher level, you instead cast the spell as if you had used a spell slot of one level higher (to a maximum of 9th level).
  • If the spell deals damage, it ignores damage resistances.
  • If the spell slot used is 4th level or higher, you restore a 1st level spell slot.

The damage you take as part of this feature ignores resistance and immunity, and does not require you to make a Constitution saving throw to maintain your concentration. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Thicker Than Water

Starting at 2nd level, you have become accustomed to recovering from damage. You regain an additional 1d4 hit points for every hit die you spend after finishing a short rest.

Additionally, you can use a dagger as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.

Sanguine Kiss

Starting at 6th level, you have learned to use the blood of others to bolster your spells.

As a bonus action, you can make a melee weapon attack with a dagger against a creature. On a hit, the target suffers the attack’s normal effects + half your wizard level. If the creature was not an undead or construct, you can subtract the damage dealt from the damage you take as part of Crimson Exchange, if you use it by the end of the turn. You may use this feature once, and regain the ability to use it after finishing a short rest.

Ruby Withering

Beginning at 10th level, when you affect one or more creatures with a spell empowered by your Crimson Exchange feature, you may choose to prevent all affected creatures from regaining hit points until the end of their next turn.

Scarlet Tides

At 14th level, you learn to unleash overwhelming spell attacks through the reckless sacrifice of your own health.

When you use Crimson Exchange, you can choose to take additional damage equal to the level of the spell slot you're using and become unable to regain hit points until the end of your next turn. If you do so, you may choose two of the available Crimson Exchange options instead of one, and you have advantage on any attack rolls made as part of the spell.

All other rules of Crimson Exchange still apply.

VillainTheory
Blood Arcana Image

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